Technocrat or politician for governor?

Politicians are bracing themselves for a major onslaught from professionals and technocrats in the race for the powerful posts of governor as the country approaches next year’s elections.

The seats of county governors created by the new Constitution were seen as a way of devolving power to the grassroots hence reducing the cutthroat competition that has always accompanied the race for the presidency and Parliament.

But political observers now say the move has simply transferred the battle to the counties with the post of governor being equated to a “mini president,” in charge of the county’s administrative and financial functions.

As such, the post is attracting interest from professionals and technocrats who argue that dyed-in-the-wool politicians would be ill-placed to handle the enormous responsibilities bestowed on the governors.

The Sunday Nation has found out that permanent secretaries, heads of parastatals and other professionals are rolling up their sleeves to face off with Cabinet ministers, MPs and seasoned politicians who feel it is time they graduated to the seats of power in their respective counties.

Among the professionals, private sector captains, administrators and technocrats said to be plotting to challenge politicians in the battle for governors’ seats are Mumias Sugar cheif executive Dr Evans Kidero, former Nairobi Stock Exchange chief executive Jimnah Mbaru and Nairobi town clerk Philip Kisia. This trio is said to be angling for the Nairobi governor’s post.

Others are permanent secretaries Francis Kimemia, Thuita Mwangi, Kenneth Lusaka and Emmanuel Kisombe, Administration Police commandant Kinuthia Mbugua, educationist Christopher Khaemba, leading hotelier Daniel Kiptunen and university lecturer Kipchumba Murkomen.

Mr Lusaka says the ideal governor would be “a person with proven experience in prudent financial management and human resource management because the governor will be charged with the duty of managing the resources of a county.”

“The language on the ground is that we want a person who can take care of our resources. We need somebody with experience and knowledge in leadership because you will be in charge of a whole county civil service,” the PS said.

University of Nairobi lecturer Dr Joshua Kivuva said a governor ought to be a person who is intelligent, and who understands the Constitution and can manage power effectively.

Dr Kidero says on his website that his vision is to build a “stronger, safer and prouder city” while his mission is to “influence aspiring leaders to provide a compelling vision for Nairobi through effective stewardship, amplified consciousness and self knowledge to making Nairobi a city whose name is not just synonymous to (sic) a new haven but also hope and opportunity for all.”

But Mr Kiptunen, who is eyeing the seat of Narok governor, says there ought to be no clash between the politician and the professional as both have to transform themselves if they are to win the seats.

“Any professional who seeks to win the governor’s seat must first transform himself into a politician while an activist politician must first transform himself into a leader if he is to manage resources well,” Mr Kiptunen said. He added that a successful governor must create the necessary environment and motivate his team in the county government.

“What we should guard against is having activist politicians who simply gun for the governor’s seat for self aggrandisement,” he said.

Mr Murkomen, a Moi University law lecturer and a member of the Mutakha Kang’u-led task force on devolved government, concurs with Mr Kiptunen that there is a thin line between professionals and politicians in aspiring for the posts.

“Wherever we went, including Turkana, people raised the minimum qualification of a first degree because they wanted one who would understand issues of governance and resource distribution well,” he said.

Mr Murkomen predicted that the pioneer governors will face many problems such as non-delivery and embezzlement of funds “if the mad rush for the seats is not tempered by sober self-evaluation”.

“There is need for the founding governors to build a firm foundation so as to set the pace for subsequent county governments,” he said.

Leadership qualities

But Planning minister Wycliffe Oparanya, who is eyeing the seat of Kakamega governor, maintains that the next governors should be judged on their academic and leadership qualities.

He said those seeking the posts must be subjected to rigorous vetting to weed out those with questionable character.

Speaking in Bungoma shortly after opening the regional agricultural show, Mr Oparanya said legislators eyeing governors’ seats must have a clean record in the management of the Constituencies Development Fund money.

“Kenyans are of the view that only leaders with proper management skills and unquestionable character are elected in various posts, be it at the county level or in the central government,” he said.

He said a provision by the law requiring all aspirants for the governors’ seats possess university degrees was enough to eliminate mediocrity and ensure that only capable people are elected to head the counties.

Mr Oparanya however dismissed arguments that the post of governor is a preserve of technocrats and scholars.

But Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto says politicians should be county governors asserting that the position is like that of a president, which combines both politics and leadership.

“Those professionals who think this is their turf do not understand the Constitution, which clearly says it is an elective position. They should wait for it to be advertised in the newspapers and see how far they go,” said the MP who has declared his intention to run for the Bomet governor.

He said while governors must have high education qualifications to be on top of things, in a general sense they cannot be expected to run the civil service.

“They only provide policy guidelines. You cannot seek to sacrifice those of us who have been pushing for devolution for many years at the altar of professionalism,” he said.

He said a governor’s seat is not that of a glorified district commissioner or provincial commissioner adding that the “provincial administrators have not added value to communities in the grassroots for the last 47 years”.

Centre for Multiparty Democracy chairman Justin Muturi also says technocrats are not better suited for the posts than politicians.

“Those arguing that the post of governor belongs to technocrats and professionals are missing the point. In the first place, the post is elective and not appointive. The governor is a mini president. Just the way the President, who is a politician, runs a government through the Cabinet and civil service, the governor will run a county using the county executive and county civil service so there is absolutely no harm in a politician vying to become a governor,” he said.

– Additional reporting by John Shilitsa and Anthony Kitimo